Frank Victores/US PresswireCincinnati starting QB Zach Collaros will not play against Rutgers on Saturday due to an injury.

Three weeks ago, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano pointed to the unpredictability of the Big East, saying the season wasn’t over despite back-to-back losses to Louisville and West Virginia. He mentioned Connecticut’s loss to the Scarlet Knights midway through last season, and how the Huskies still rebounded to win the conference title.

Last week, Schiano, refusing to give in to the naysayers, said he might bring his first Big East title to Piscataway “sooner than you expect.”

Well, the Scarlet Knights (7-3, 3-2 Big East) can position themselves to do just that Saturday at High Point Solutions Stadium when they face Cincinnati (7-2, 3-1), which won’t have quarterback Zach Collaros (ankle), with a share of first place on the line.

Six of the eight teams in the Big East remain alive for the conference crown. Rutgers would hold head-to-head tiebreakers over Cincinnati and Pitt if it wins Saturday. It doesn’t hold tiebreakers over Louisville and West Virginia, both of whom have beaten the Scarlet Knights.

“I hope our fans are excited,” Schiano said today during a conference call. “It’s just a tremendous opportunity. There’s a lot of good things going on. It’s Senior Day. I hope our fans will get into the stadium early. I just think the home-field advantage is only an advantage if the place is packed.”

The Bearcats have befuddled Rutgers in recent seasons. Cincinnati has won five straight, including a 69-38 beatdown last season.

Collaros will undergo ankle surgery and miss the remainder of the regular season after being injured in Saturday’s 24-21 loss to West Virginia. Sophomore Munchie Legaux will make his first career start against Rutgers.

Legaux, who had thrown just seven passes, stepped in for Collaros against West Virginia and led the Bearcats on a pair of touchdown drives. He directed a two-minute drive that put Cincinnati in position for a tying field goal, but a 32-yard attempt by Tony Miliano was blocked on the game’s final play.

“We’ll do as much homework as we can (on Legaux),” Schiano said. “But usually a team does what it does. I don’t see them making wholesale changes. It’s just a matter of what the next quarterback is better at doing.”

The Bearcats run the spread offense, which has been kryptonite to Schiano’s proud defense and is a major reason he revamped his defense this past offseason.

Last season, the Bearcats rang up 661 yards total offense on Rutgers. Tail back Isaiah Pead rushed for 213 yards and four TDs, and Collaros threw for 366 yards and four TDs.

“That was probably the worst football game we’ve played in five years,” Schiano said.